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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: sharp · object · drill · spell · bulb · chair · file · track

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. file — a document
  3. bulb — for light
  4. file — a line of people
  5. spell — a short time
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. drill — the tool
  8. chair — a leader
  9. sharp — clever
  10. drill — a practice
  11. bulb — for light
  12. track — to keep track
  13. object — a thing
  14. file — a tool
  15. track — a path
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. object — an aim
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. spell — letters
  20. drill — army training
  21. track — a song
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. spell — magic
  24. object — to protest

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com